Arc-light-control device



May 12, s. M. MEYER ET AL ARC LIGHT CONTROL DEVICE i e a 24, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 '25 H Y 1/ 3i o 2 2 26 35 N26 22 19 27 O o o o o O O O O 2/ O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O g O O 4 O O O O O O 0 o o 6 O O O O WITNESSES 3 9 O 3 ,41

YEND c s? I 35, WILLIAM dmxss J 3 63 /I I 1/ l 6 By 73 3 w W7 M 1 m t l F /5 /4 15 12 nrromvars Patented May 12, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,537,854 PATENT OFFICE.

SVEND M. MEYER AND WILLIAM JAMES, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ARC-LIGHT-CONTROL DEVICE.

Application filed March 24, 1921. Serial No. 455,292.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, SVEND M. MEYER and WILLIAM JAMES, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Arc-Light-Control Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to are light control devices, and has for an object to provide a simple, compact and efficient arc light con trol device during the operation of which a plurality of arc light electrodes are so regulated as to produce at all times an even, steady illumination.

Another object resides in the provision of means whereby as the electrodes are consumed the variation in the current produced will cause'the electrode feeding and gripping device to move the electrodes to the proper position to restore the arc to its normal value.

A further object resides in the provision of means whereby an electrode carrier is provided with gripping means for the electrodes which co-operate with adjustable tripping devices on the support orbase portion so as to trip and release the electrodes at a predetermined point in the travel. of the electrode carrier.

A still further object resides in the provision of means whereby a pair of electrodes are permitted to move axially but are in a simple manner prevented from lateral movement outside of their normal longitudinal path.

Another object resides in the provision of means whereby a definite, permissible rocking movement of the electrodes is permitted.

A further object resides in the particular construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter described and claimed and shown in' the accompanying drawings.

The inventionis illustrated in the drawings,of which Figure 1 represents an elevation of the device with certain parts in section showing the'electrodes in their normal position when the current is off;

' Figure 2 is a partial elevation with a portion of the casing broken away to show the electrodes in their normal operative position; and p I Fi ure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail section illustrating the connection between the sleeve, the lug members and the posts.

The preferred form of our invention, as shown in the drawings, comprises an are light control device as applied to a pair of electrodes 1 and 2 which are supported and carried by a suitable carrier 3. This car rier is connected to the core 4 of a magnet 5 which is supported from a base plate 6. Electrode gripping devices 7 and 8 carried by the carrier are adapted to grip the electrodes under certain circumstances and are adapted to be actuated to release the electrodes when they are brought into contact with tripping stops 9 and 10 which are adjustably mounted on an insulating plate 11 carried and supported by the upper end of the magnet 5. Although the total circuit is not shown, the magnet 5, the electrodes 1 and 1 and 2 and 2 are adapted to be connected electrically in series. The normal position of the electrodes is shown in Figure 1, when the light is not operating and no current is flowing.

More specifically, the invention comprises the base plate 6, made of any suitable material, preferably metallic material, which is supported from the floor at a plurality of points by insulating feet 12. An auxiliary metallic plate 13 is supported on and above the plate 6. The two plates 6 and 13 are spaced apart by insulating sleeves 14 which are held in position by screws 15 extending between the two plates. The plate 13 is provided with an aperture of suitable size to permit, when desired, the passage of the lower end of the core 1 therethrough.

' A suitable distance above the plate 13, the magnet 5 is supported by sleeves 16, of any suitable insulating material, which surround screws 17 extending between the plate 13 and the lower head 18 of the magnet 5. The

upper head 19 of the magnet 5 is spaced apart from the insulating plate 11 by insulating sleeves 20. The plate 11 is supported from the head 19 of the magnet. The plate 11 and the plate 13 are somewhat diamond shaped and are adapted to receive therebetween and therearound a perforated casing 21 adapted to enclose the magnet and its operating parts, and perforated to permit of the circulation of air. The rear edges, such as 21, of the casing 21 are bent over and are locked together by engagement with a channel bar such as 21". This tends to lock the casing 21 around the edges of the plates 13 and 11. To release the casing 21 the channel bar 21 is slid out of engagement with the edges 21. Threaded shafts 22 extend throughthe plate 11 at opposite sides thereof. The upper portion of the shaft above the plate 11 is provided with electrode receiving sockets 23 having suitable set screws 24 whereby to adjust the electrodes 1 and 2 therein. Beneath the plate 11, these threaded shafts 22 are fastened by washers 25 and nuts 26. A. second nut 27 coacts with the nut 26 to form a binding post for circuit wires which may be attached thereto.

The plate 11 is pierced with an aperture 23 through which certain parts cooperating with the core 4 are adapted to move in a manner hereinafter to be described. A thin metallic strip or plate 29 is adapted to extend over the central portion of the aperture 28, although not entirely closing the same. Sockets 30 are disposed on the upper surface of this plate. From these sockets threaded shafts 31 extend downwardly through the plate 11 and the spacing sleeves 20 into the upper head 19 of the magnet 5. The sockets 30 are provided with posts to receive the lower threaded portions of adjusting rods 32.

The core 4 is so disposed normally that the largest proportion of its mass is disposed below the median line of the magnet 5, whereby magnetic action on the core tends to pull it upwardly in the core. The lower end of the core 4 is provided with a curved bar 33 which is attached thereto by a screw 34 and extends transversely across above the plate 13. The ends of the bar 33 lie closely adjacent the insulating sleeve 16 on each side of the core 4 and are so positioned that any angular turning movement of the core around its axis will be limited by the engagement by either end of the bar 33 with one or the other of the sleeves 16. To the upper end of the core 4 the lower end of-a forked link 35 is connected in any suitable manner. This upper end of this link has limbs 36 and 36' adapted to extend upwardly through the aperture 28 on each side of the plate 29 and be pivotally connected, as at 37, to the lower end of a sleeve 38.

This sleeve 38 has an interior bore 39 which.

is adapted loosely to receive a guiding plug or post, 40 which is connected to the plate 29 by means of an adjustable screw device 41. The upper end of the sleeve 38 is connected to the post 42, which in turn is connected at its upper end to the carrier plate 3. This carrier plate 3' extends in opposite directions from the axis of the post 42 and at each end is provided with an electrodereceiving sleeve 43 of any suitable material. Pivotal electrode gripping members 44 are disposed on each side of the post 42 and carried by the plate 3. They are connected to the plate 3 by flange plates 45. \Vhen in the normal position shown in Figure 1, the electrode grippers 44. which are provided with apertures 46, are in such position as to line these apertures 46 with similar apertures 47 in the sleeves 43 and with apertures 48 in the ends of the plate 3. In this position the electrodes 1 and 2 are permitted to move downwardly until their lower ends abut the upper ends of the electrodes 1,and 2. The upper ends of the electrodes 1 and 2 may be connected by a conductor 49 the ends of which are connected to adjustable sleeves 50 on the upper end of the electrodes. This is to provide an auxiliary path for the current to flow between the electrodes 1 and 2. lVhenever the current is turned on the magnetic action of the magnet 5 on the core 4 causes the upward movement of the carrier plate 3, lifting the gripper members 44 off of the upper ends of the tripping rods 9 and 10, thereby permitting them to assume the position shown in Figure 2 and gripping the electrodes 1 and 2. This movement will separate the electrodes 1 and 2 from the electrodes 1 and 2 the desired distance and strike an arc. The movement of the carrier 3 upward and downward in response to the magnetic movement of the core 4, which is actuated by the variations in the main circuit, causes the gap between the electrodes to be maintained substantially constant. If one of the electrodes should be consumed more rapidly than another, this will cause the main current to decrease and this, of course, will cause the lowering of the carrier 3 to shorten the gap whereby the current is restored to its proper value. Vhen this lowering action has taken place a sufficient number of times, the tripping rods 9 and 10 come in contact with the gripping members 44 to move them to the position shown in Figure 1. These members at this time will momentarily release the electrodes 1 and 2 and cause them to drop toward the electrodes 1 and 2. The approaching of the electrodes together will cause a rush of current which will actuate the core 4 sufficiently to raise the carrier 3 and cause the regripping of the electrodes 1 and 2 by the members 44 even before the electrodes have had time to actually come in contact with their respective lower electrodes 1 and 2". This action, therefore, will permit of the periodic readjustment of the two electrodes so that the gap across each pair of electrodes will be periodically restored to a definite value and the feed of the electrodes is thereby made automatic.

The screw 41 isfirmly seated in the post 40, but in passing through the plate 29 the aperture through which it passes is somewhat larger than the shank of the screw 41 so that a certain-rocking movement of the screw and the post is permitted. This rocking movement permits the carrier to rock slightly. This rocking movement is advantageous for the purpose of producing a diffused white light, which is highly important and efficient in the use of this lamp for photographic purposes and simulates the effect of a travelling flaming arc.

At the front of the device, and mounted on the base plate 6, are a pair of terminals 51 and 52 to which these circuit wires may be connected. These are adjustably mounted on an insulating plate 53. As above mentioned, the circuit connections, which are not shown since they form no part of the invention, may be made in any suitable manner but are as shown such as to connect the magnet 5 and the electrodes in series. The means above described, it will be observed, permit two pairs of electrodes to be struck at the same time to establish two substantially equal arcs, and this equality of the arcs is substantially constantly maintained, although one pair of electrodes may be consumed at a more rapid rate than the other.

The above-mentioned apparatus and its operation permit of the maintenance of an even light, which is constantly maintained in an entirely automatic manner. To apply new electrodes to this device is a very simple matter, since the sockets 23 readily receive the lower electrodes and the upper electrodes are merely dropped through the apertures 46, 47 and 48 above mentioned. If the main circuit is closed, the arc is immediately struck whenever these upper electrodes are dropped into position in the simple manner above mentioned.

What we claim is:

1. An arc controlling device, which comprises a support, an electrode carrier mounted thereon, a core pivotally connected to said carrier, guiding means on the support and means on the core engageable with said guiding means to restrict the lateral motion of the carrier.

2. An arc controlling device comprising a support, an electrode carrier mounted thereon, a guiding post on the support, a sleeve on the carrier loosely embracing the post and adapted to loosely guide the motion of the carrier, a magnet, and a magnetic core pivotally connected to the carrier.

3. An arc controlling device comprising a. support, an electrode carrier mounted thereon, a guiding post on the support, a sleeve on the carrier loosely embracing the post and adapted to loosely guide the motion of the carrier, a magnet, a magnet core pivotally connected to the carrier, pivoted electrode grippers on the carrier, and adjustable means on the support adapted to trip the gripper and release the electrode at a predetermined point in the travel of the carrier.

4. An arc controlling device which comprises a support, an electrode carrier mounted thereon, a pair of electrodes supported by said carrier, gripping means mounted on the carrier and adapted to grip the elec trodes, means mounted on the support to trip the grippers and release the electrodes at a predetermined point in the travel of the carrier, a magnet, a magnet core pivotally connected to the carrier, and guiding means on the support to restrict the motion of the carrier.

5. An arc controlling device, which comprises a support, an electrode carrier mounted thereon, a core pivotally connected to said carrier, a guiding post mounted on the support, and a sleeve on the carrier loosely embracing said post and adapted loosely to guide the carrier.

SVEND M. MEYER. WILLIAM JAMES. 

